hey i have a 1998 volvro s70 awd. i have had this car for about a yr. have had some problems just like every used car you buy. i am looking for more power. im not sure where to start i dont have a lot of money yet, but im not sure if i should start with a ecu upgrade or a turbo boost or an air intake or a exhaust. which would be most economical yet effective. ill eventually get around to all hopefully but which is a good starting point for not that much money
thank you for your time!

 

I am not trying to argue here but are you sure it is a 1998 s70 AWD & not a 1999? I have a 1999 S70 AWD.

Or are you not in the U.S., that might answer my question too probably.

Well anyways you want to start with STAGE ZERO.

Plugs
cap/rotor
oil/transflush
filter (oil)
hoses (the little vac lines) Silicone, Stylin Motors Inc.
samco hose kit, Stylin Motors Inc. (Turbo Models ONLY)
02 sensors
fuel pumps
clean injectors
clean IC/IC plumbing (Turbo Models ONLY)
Air filter
plug wires

This will get your car up to spec and ready to take on more power. This can be expensive but well worth it when your adding more power to your car.

1. An ECU upgrade is the most economical way to add power. Inmotion, Upsolute, SpeedTuning USA, RICA, IPD USA. These are ECU tuners on the Volvo aftermarket. RICA and IPD USA are the two best but also the two most expensive. ST USA is about $325 & Upsolute is about $425 and Inmotion is around the same. You get what you pay for though. Your going to run RICH with these cheaper tunes. I have an ST USA tune and wish I had saved for the RICA or IPD USA tune instead. Do these cheaper tunes work? YES but they aren't as researched and developed as IPD and RICA.

2. Now you say your a 1998 model. If that is true and your not running ME7 (1999+ models), then you could run a Manual Boost Controller. These can be had for between $30-$100+. I would go with a dual version model you can have a low boost setting and a high boost setting.

*If you do this you will def. want a boost gauge one that can read 25 In Hg / 25 PSI. Even if you go the ECU route you will want this gauge as well. With the Manual Boost Controller route you want to have this gauge hooked up before you hook up the MBC, so you can see what your running stock and then after. You don't want to overboost and ruin your car.

*Also you will not want to raise your boost anymore then 15PSI. 10-12 PSI is perfect and you will see a marketed difference in performance. Also the ECU tuner will know how much to raise your boost to, some offer tunes with different PSI too.

3. Typical mods are 3" mandrel bent turboback exhaust system. That is a 3' mandrel bent downpipe to a 3' mandrel bent catback system with a free flowing straight through design performance muffler, BORLA and Maganflow are two to name. Your stock airbox is actually the best intake setup for you. Just slap a performance panel filter in there and your good to go. No one makes a true Cold Air Intake for our cars so you'd have to settle for a Short Ram Intake. IPD USA and EuroSportTuning (EST) sell them. You wont gain much power from this mod but you will gain some nice sound. I have the EuroSportTuning (EST) model.

- 3" mandrel bent turboback system
- Panel filter or Short Ram Intake
- ECU upgrade

4. Your not going to get off cheap with any performance parts for your Volvo. Expect to pay a lot, so save your money. Parts for Volvo is not like parts for a Honda, Toyota, etc...

 

ya its a 99 i meant that it was a typo and i appriciate your reply how much does stage zero cost roughly

 

Stage Zero done right with all new parts I would say $300-$500 I might be high. You might be able to do it for less.

 

This price is if you do it yourself. If you pay to have it done it will be more than a thousand.

 

so i guess a new question i got a 99 s70 awd as i said earlier its an automatic so my next question is. is it worth upgrading? or since its auto would the upgrades be that affective

 

Is it worth upgrading? That is up to you. We cannot tell you YES or NO.

Now if your model wasn't turboed then we could. Because we would say sell your non turbo and buy a turbo model. But since your turboed we don't have to say that.

For mods your looking at...

- 3" mandrel bent Turboback system, $500-$1200
- Intake, $50 for panel and $200 for IPD or EST Short Ram Intake
- ECU upgrade, $325-$1200

And if you go further, you get to spend more money.

If it is worth it to you to upgrade then do so. I personally have given up on upgrading mine. It costs way too much and the enjoyment for me is gone.